Car Ploughs Into Protestors As State Of Emergency Is Declared In US State

White nationalists are met by a group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. Photo: Joshua Robers/Reuters.

A car has ploughed into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. One person is dead and several others are reported to have multiple injuries.

The car hit gathered protestors, sending them flying into the windshield before speeding away from the scene.

A Virginia official confirmed the driver is now in police custody.

A car reverses after driving into a group of protestors. Photo: AP Source AP via News Corp Australia.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer tweeted, “I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will – go home.” He told CNN that one person was killed and others had been rushed to hospital. There are reports of blood on the ground and shoes scattered at the scene.

The incident, which an eyewitness described to New York Post as being “intentional”, happened two hours after police shut down the rally two hours before it began.

Six thousand people were due to attend in a show of support for ‘Unite the Right’, with counter protestors including Black Lives Matter activists.

It was declared unlawful before it began - and the permit to hold the event was revoked.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe had already declared a state of emergency at around 11am (local time on Saturday). “It is now clear that public safety cannot be safeguarded without additional powers, and that the mostly out-of-state protestors have come to Virginia to endanger our citizens and property,” he wrote.

However, protestors and counter-protestors had gathered already. Plastic bottles were thrown as well as punches, and there are reports sprays were being used.

Police used teargas to disperse the crowds. It’s not clear at this stage if anyone else was arrested.

White nationalists rallied at Thomas Jefferson statue on the grounds of University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Photo: Alejandro Alvarez/News2Share via Reuters.

President Donald Trump condemned the events saying, “We’re closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. It’s been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump. Not Barack Obama. It’s been going on for a long, long time.”

He tweeted, “We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!”

Melania Trump beat her husband to it on Twitter, writing, “Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let’s communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence.”

“Charlottesville is mobilizing,” Mimi Arbeit, a community activist who is helping to organize counterdemonstrations told NY Times. “We cannot allow the rise of white supremacy. Ignoring the Klan in the 1920s is precisely what allowed them to terrorize and murder black people in Charlottesville. We cannot allow that history to be repeated.”

Members of the KKK were escorted out of a planned rally last month in Charlottesville. Photo: Chet Strange/Getty.